How to Make a Front Sidewalk

Mark the perimeters of the sidewalk along the front of the yard or garden. Lay two parallel garden hoses if you want a rounded or curved sidewalk, or insert wood stakes in the ground and extend string along them for a straight walkway. Ensure the corners are square.

Score the ground along the hoses or strings to mark the perimeters of the sidewalk with a shovel. Remove the hoses or pull out the stakes and string, setting them aside.

Collect stones or plant debris between the perimeters and pile them in a wheelbarrow. Remove vegetation between the sidewalk outlines with a shovel.

Remove the soil to a depth of 8 inches between the parallel outlines with a trenching shovel. Check that the depth is level throughout, or add or remove soil as required. Compact the exposed surface of the soil with a hand tamper or compacting machine.

Spread a 2-inch-thick layer of gravel or 3/4-inch aggregate over the soil and mist it lightly to reduce shifting due to friction. Compact the layer of gravel until it is firm. Continue adding 2 inches of gravel until it forms a 4-inch-thick layer. Keep checking the depth with a level.

Lay edging restraints along the walls of the trench to line the sidewalk and separate it from the surrounding softscaping. Use metal or wood edging for straight paths, and flexible plastic edging for curved pathways. Position each length against the wall of the trench, and use as many as needed to line the entire span. Pound the 10-inch stakes provided with the edging into the stake pockets to secure the edging strips firmly in the soil.

Spread and rake coarse sand over the aggregate or gravel bed to a thickness that allows that final pavers to fall 1/4-inch higher than the surrounding area. Position a brick paver over the sand bed to determine its height. Add or remove sand as required, achieving the required depth. Smooth the surface of the sand with the screed board and tamp it lightly to set it in place.

Place the brick pavers in your desired pattern over the sand bed, beginning at one end of the sidewalk and working your way to the other. Lay the pavers flush against each other, or no more than 1/8 inch apart. Check the level of every few pavers after installing them to ensure they are in line with the remaining ones; if required, add or remove sand from underneath.

Sweep masonry sand over the sidewalk with a broom, so it falls into the tiny spaces between the pavers and pads them together.